Dec 15 AI goes short

While just one-fifth of UK businesses have invested in artificial intelligence to date, more than 80% of them expect to do so over the coming years. However, there are concerns that a digital skills shortage could hamstring efforts to get the most out of AI, according to Deloitte’s Digital Disruption Index.

Just 20% of executive respondents to the Deloitte survey believe there are enough school leavers and graduates with the appropriate digital skills and experience to support future digital needs. In other words, there is little point in investing in technology that you will be unable to staff adequately.

While 77% of business leaders expect AI to disrupt their industries, fewer than half expect their workforce to get smaller as they adopt AI – only 8% believe AI will directly replace human activity. The perceived skills shortage is likely to be exacerbated by a fall in the number of skilled EU migrants residing in the UK following Brexit.